Iran ready to expand trade relations with Germany

Iran is ready to expand trade relations with Germany, Iranian Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance, Mohammad-Reza Farzin, said in an interview with IRNA in Berlin.Germany is our biggest trade partner in Europe and we are interested in widening this partnership and expanding these business ties, the Iranian official said. There are very good business opportunities for German companies in Iran and therefore we have always welcomed boosting bilateral relations, he added. Pointing to ups and downs in German-Iranian business relations over the past years as a result of western sanctions, Farzin said bilateral business ties have yet to reach their real potential. Total German-Iranian trade volume stood reportedly at nearly 2.6 billion euros during the first 8 months of this year. He stressed Iran remained a reliable economic partner for Germany amid the worsening European financial and economic crisis. Farzin said Iran's economic cooperation with European countries is a win-win for both sides and that's why his country welcomes expanding trade relations with the European Union. The Iranian official lambasted the western sanction policy and so-called 'double track policy' aimed at forcing Tehran to make concessions on its nuclear program, saying it was futile. 'Imposing sanctions on Iran is not right. Surely talks are a better way of settling the issues,' said Farzin.